New GWM Haval H5 Debuts As Cheapest Full-Size SUV in China

Chinese automotive giant Great Wall Motor (GWM), under its SUV-focused sub-brand Haval, has refreshed its SUV lineup today by launching the next-gen Haval H5. Unlike its predecessor, the new H5 gains a larger footprint, thus upgrading it into the full-size SUV segment.

The new Haval H5 is bigger than the J300-gen Toyota Land Cruiser

This bulk-up is due to the H5 sharing the same underbones as the GWM King Kong Cannon full-size pick-up truck – the bigger brother to the Malaysian-bound GWM Cannon. As a result, the next-gen H5 now measures 5,190 MM long, 1,905 MM wide, 1,833 MM tall, with a wheelbase of 3,140 MM – which makes it slightly larger than the J300-gen Toyota Land Cruiser.

Coming in two flavours of powertrain, the 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbocharged petrol mill comes with two different state-of-tune, either 188 HP/260 NM or 215 HP/380 NM. Meanwhile, the sole 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbodiesel mill is only good for 164 HP, with its torque figure ranging form 360-380 NM, depending on the transmission option.

Both powertrain options are mated to either a 6-speed manual or an 8-speed automatic gearbox. As for the drivetrain specs, the H5 comes with either a rear-wheel drive (RWD) or an all-wheel drive (AWD) options, with the latter reserved for the higher variants.

The new Haval H5 is a decent-looking SUV, featuring traditional boxy silhouette

Visually, the new Haval H5 sports a pretty boxy, pick-up truck-esque styling, as expected in any ladder frame-based SUVs. Up front, the H5 gets full-LED headlights that are flanking its chrome-finished horizontal grille design. From the side, you’ll immediately notice the H5’s long wheelbase, paired with sculpted fenders that are similar to what we saw on the Cannon truck.

Unlike the Cannon truck, however, the H5 gets a closed rear end, featuring vertically-mounted LED combination taillights, roof-mounted spoiler, as well as pretty rugged-looking rear bumper accents. In spite of boasting several off-roading styling cues and functions, the new H5 rides on road-biased wheels shod in Hankook highway terrain (H/T) tyres.

Cabin equipment is pretty decent, even for its price

On board, the H5 gets pretty decent cabin equipment, especially for its price. Highlights include the 12.3-inch central infotainment display, a smaller 3.5-inch driver’s instrument cluster, leatherette upholstery for the seats and cabin trims, as well as six-speaker audio system. Opting for the higher specs will grant you with additional features like over-the-air (OTA) software updates, Level-2 semi-autonomous driving system, panoramic sunroof, as well as heated seats.

Weirdly, in spite of its bulk-up, the H5 only comes in 5-seater configuration, thus granting it a massive cargo space. Should you need more, this space can be expanded to 2,116-litre once you fold down the rear seats, which is more than enough to be converted to a living area for camping trips.

The Haval H5 might also be one of the cheapest full-size SUV in the world!

Touted as the most affordable full-size SUV in the Chinese market, the new GWM Haval H5 starts at CNY 122,800 (RM79,536) for the baseline, petrol-powered manual RWD spec, while the diesel variant begins from CNY 147,800 (RM95,728). At these prices, the Haval H5 could even be the cheapest full-size SUV in the world!

Unfortunately, this bargain full-size SUV might not make its way to our shores sooner or later, considering the almost nonexistent demand for such vehicles in our Malaysian market. However, should GWM Malaysia manage to keep its prices relatively low as the Chinese markets, perhaps the Haval H5 would serve as a great alternative to those who are seeking for a camper-ready vehicle.